Snow avalanches claim an average of 100 lives in Europe every year. The common goal of all European Avalanche Warning Services is to reduce the loss of lives and damages due to avalanches by providing the society with efficient and effective avalanche forecasting and warning services.
We start recording the number of fatalities on 1 October every year. The figures are based on reports received from EAWS members and their partners. Please let us know if there is any missing data and errors, by sending an e-mail to us.
| Location | Country | Date | Avalanche Problem 1 | Avalanche Problem 2 | Forecasted Regional Danger Level | Dead | Group Size | Avalanche Comment | Incident Comment | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1814 | Großvenediger | Austria | 2020-10-10 00:00:00 | Persistent weak layer | 1 | 1 | null | null | Alpinist | ||
| 2043 | Tromsdalstinden | Norway | 2020-12-06 13:51:00 | Wind-drifted snow | 2 | 1 | 1 | "Cornice" | "Walking alone" | Other | |
| 2036 | Titlis | Switzerland | 2020-12-07 10:15:00 | 3 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2037 | Crans Montana | Switzerland | 2020-12-08 12:00:00 | 2 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2038 | Saas Fee | Switzerland | 2020-12-10 13:00:00 | 3 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2039 | Bedretto | Switzerland | 2020-12-13 12:00:00 | 2 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2041 | Stuben-Albonagrat \\ | Austria | 2020-12-14 14:00:00 | Persistent weak layer | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 1 | 1 | null | null | Backcountry skiing |
| 2040 | Eggenmanndli | Switzerland | 2020-12-17 12:50:00 | 2 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2072 | Le Monêtier les bains | France | 2020-12-22 12:15:00 | Persistent weak layer | Wet snow | 3 | 1 | 5 | "Foot access to ride a steep-slope couloir" | "There were 2 groups : one of 4 (including a professional guide) and a single person (the one that died)" | Backcountry skiing |
| 2047 | Les Louerettes | Switzerland | 2020-12-29 12:00:00 | 3 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2046 | Chasseral, La Corne | Switzerland | 2020-12-31 12:00:00 | 2 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2064 | San Isidro | Spain | 2021-01-01 00:00:00 | 2 | 3 | "Unknow starting zone . Size >2 (possible 2.5)" | "3 people involved: 2 fatality 1 injured.The accident occurred while working on a road with snowplow. 2 workers where outside the plow when they where catched another person was with them outside his car and was catched too and injured. One of the injured was found by rescue temss the 30th january (29 day after the accident)." | On road | |||
| 2045 | Maso corto/Val Senales | Italy | 2021-01-03 12:30:00 | Wind-drifted snow | New snow | 3 | 2 | 2 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2048 | Val Travenanzes gruppo tofane | Italy | 2021-01-09 12:30:00 | Persistent weak layer | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 1 | 3 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2049 | Costa del Palio | Italy | 2021-01-13 10:25:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Wind-drifted snow | 2 | 1 | 2 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2073 | St Bon Tarentaise | France | 2021-01-13 15:44:00 | 4 | 1 | 1 | null | "An italien ski instructor went backcountry skiing. Found the day after by the rescue team, buried under 1m snow" | Backcountry skiing | ||
| 2051 | Torrione Roma | Italy | 2021-01-14 15:00:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 1 | 1 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2054 | Emmetten | Switzerland | 2021-01-15 12:20:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2065 | Jeseníky, Velký Kotel | Czechia | 2021-01-15 12:50:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Persistent weak layer | 2 | 1 | 3 | null | "Mechanical injuries." | Backcountry skiing |
| 2063 | Sandkogel | Austria | 2021-01-15 13:40:00 | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 1 | 2 | null | null | Backcountry skiing | |
| 2057 | Morschach | Switzerland | 2021-01-16 09:55:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2056 | Engelberg | Switzerland | 2021-01-16 10:45:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2074 | Tignes | France | 2021-01-16 14:00:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Persistent weak layer | 4 | 1 | 4 | null | null | Backcountry skiing |
| 2052 | Devero-Valle Antigorio | Italy | 2021-01-16 15:00:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 2 | 2 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2055 | Klosters-Serneus | Switzerland | 2021-01-16 15:00:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2103 | Skittentinden | Norway | 2021-01-16 19:00:00 | Persistent weak layer | 2 | 1 | 1 | "Persistent weak layer of facets" | null | Backcountry skiing | |
| 2075 | Stosswihr | France | 2021-01-17 13:16:00 | 1 | 2 | null | "Middle moutain range - No rating all-year long in this area." | Backcountry skiing | |||
| 2076 | Saint Christophe en Oisans | France | 2021-01-17 14:00:00 | Persistent weak layer | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 2 | 2 | null | "People find the day after, buried under 150cm of snow. The risk was 4 above 1800m and 3 under that. The bodies were found around 1500\/1600m, so the risk is 3; but the avalanche starting line was surely far above (see the gully and the steep slopes above the road) No way to know from what altitude the avalanche start, but, the avalanche deposit, the day after was quite big (3m high)" | Backcountry skiing |
| 2059 | Gstaad | Switzerland | 2021-01-17 15:00:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2058 | Veytaux | Switzerland | 2021-01-17 15:45:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2060 | Val de Bagnes | Switzerland | 2021-01-18 10:20:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2061 | Nendaz | Switzerland | 2021-01-18 12:30:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2069 | Wanglspitze | Austria | 2021-01-20 11:52:00 | Persistent weak layer | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 1 | 2 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2078 | Saint-Christophe-sur-Guiers | France | 2021-01-20 12:00:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Persistent weak layer | 3 | 1 | 1 | null | "The practionner was alone, and was recovered the day after the accident." | Backcountry skiing |
| 2077 | Farges | France | 2021-01-20 15:45:00 | 1 | 2 | null | "Medium range (Jura) for which are no avalanche bulletin, and so, no danger level." | Backcountry skiing | |||
| 2079 | Jarsy | France | 2021-01-21 12:00:00 | 3 | 1 | 1 | "Nothing is really known as the person was alone, and found in a winter storm by the rescue." | "Nothing is really known as the person was alone, and found in a winter storm by the rescue." | Backcountry skiing | ||
| 2105 | Bjørnlitinden | Norway | 2021-01-23 12:00:00 | Wind-drifted snow | 2 | 1 | 2 | null | null | Alpinist | |
| 2116 | Nendaz | Switzerland | 2021-01-23 12:00:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2104 | Vassfjellet | Norway | 2021-01-23 15:00:00 | 1 | 1 | null | "A hunter alone on ski" | On skiruns | |||
| 2082 | La Grave | France | 2021-01-24 14:00:00 | New snow | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 1 | 1 | null | "The alarm was set at night by the parents of the victim. He was found the day after." | Backcountry skiing |
| 2068 | malga boschetto - Val Camonica- Mortirolo | Italy | 2021-01-24 15:00:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Wind-drifted snow | 4 | 1 | 5 | null | null | Snowmobiling |
| 2085 | Grust | France | 2021-01-26 13:15:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Wet snow | 3 | 1 | 1 | "Hard slab" | "victim found at the bottom of the slope, deceased. Deposit : hard slab with 5 to 10 cm of fresh snow on top of it. At the pass above, this fresh snow was already hard by the wind ; slope where the accident occured with evident sign of wind drift." | Backcountry skiing |
| 2083 | Le Freney-d\'Oisans | France | 2021-01-26 14:00:00 | Wind-drifted snow | New snow | 3 | 1 | 2 | null | "Rescue : first by compagnion, then the rescue arrived. The victim was buried at 3m depth." | Backcountry skiing |
| 2084 | Aussois | France | 2021-01-26 17:00:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Wet snow | 3 | 1 | 2 | null | null | Backcountry skiing |
| 2110 | Valle Majelama | Italy | 2021-01-29 13:24:00 | Wet snow | Wet snow | 3 | 4 | 4 | null | null | Other |
| 2080 | Aillons-le-Vieux | France | 2021-01-29 15:30:00 | New snow | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 1 | 2 | null | null | Backcountry skiing |
| 2081 | Bourg-Saint-Maurice | France | 2021-01-29 20:02:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Persistent weak layer | 3 | 1 | 3 | "Soft-snow slab" | "No guided tour, but 3 ski instructors during a day-off. Buried under 3m-thick soft deposit. When the rescue team arrived, the 2 other instructors have found their compagnon and were digging." | Backcountry skiing |
| 2090 | Juifenalm | Austria | 2021-01-30 00:00:00 | Persistent weak layer | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 2 | 2 | null | null | Backcountry skiing |
| 2091 | Widdersbergsattel | Austria | 2021-01-30 12:00:00 | Persistent weak layer | 3 | 1 | 1 | null | null | Backcountry skiing | |
| 2092 | Neunerkogel | Austria | 2021-01-30 12:50:00 | Persistent weak layer | 3 | 1 | 3 | null | null | Off-piste skiing | |
| 2086 | Vallone Sautron/ Acceglio (CN) | Italy | 2021-01-30 13:15:00 | New snow | Wind-drifted snow | 4 | 1 | 10 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2106 | Borgdalen, Jan Mayen | Norway | 2021-01-30 13:50:00 | 2 | 3 | null | null | Backcountry skiing | |||
| 2117 | La Fouly VS | Switzerland | 2021-01-31 12:00:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2088 | Le Monêtier les bains | France | 2021-01-31 13:00:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Persistent weak layer | 3 | 1 | 2 | null | "Rescued first by an other group of backcountryskiers, then by organized rescue." | Backcountry skiing |
| 2087 | Passo della Gardetta Acceglio (CN) | Italy | 2021-01-31 14:05:00 | New snow | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 1 | 2 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2093 | Arbeserkogel | Austria | 2021-02-01 10:06:00 | Persistent weak layer | 3 | 1 | 2 | null | "LVS Ger\u00e4t vorhanden aber leere Batterien" | Backcountry skiing | |
| 2118 | Celerina | Switzerland | 2021-02-04 12:00:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2094 | Chateauroux les Alpes | France | 2021-02-05 13:30:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2095 | Mitterkoegerl / Teufenbachtal | Austria | 2021-02-08 08:37:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Persistent weak layer | 3 | 1 | 1 | null | null | Backcountry skiing |
| 2096 | Cima del Bosco | Italy | 2021-02-08 13:00:00 | New snow | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 2 | 2 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2119 | Safiental | Switzerland | 2021-02-11 17:20:00 | 1 | null | null | null | ||||
| 2102 | barmerousse, 74190 Passy | France | 2021-02-13 12:00:00 | New snow | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 1 | null | null | null | Backcountry skiing |
| 2108 | Lavaldens (38350) | France | 2021-02-13 12:00:00 | New snow | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 1 | 1 | "Unknown." | null | Backcountry skiing |
| 2107 | Kondratova kopa | Slovakia | 2021-02-13 12:30:00 | Wind-drifted snow | 2 | 2 | 3 | null | "Two victims were fully buried. One person was able to dig himself out, but it takes him 3 hours. Later, he was unable to localize his friends, he was searching for GSM signal, but there is none, so he climbed back to Polish side of the mountains and call for help." | Backcountry skiing | |
| 2098 | M. Giovo | Italy | 2021-02-13 13:20:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 1 | 3 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2100 | Sella Nevea | Italy | 2021-02-13 14:00:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Wind-drifted snow | 3 | 1 | 1 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2109 | Krkonoše, Obří důl, Úpička | Czechia | 2021-02-15 12:30:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Persistent weak layer | 2 | 1 | 2 | null | null | Backcountry skiing |
| 2126 | Pontresina | Switzerland | 2021-02-17 12:00:00 | 2 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2115 | Warscheneck | Austria | 2021-02-20 12:15:00 | Persistent weak layer | Wet snow | 2 | 1 | 2 | null | null | |
| 2111 | Les 2 Alpes - col des Gourses | France | 2021-02-21 14:30:00 | Wind-drifted snow | 2 | 1 | 1 | "hard slab ; crown thickness 50 cm to 1 m." | "backcountry skiing." | ||
| 2113 | Val Biandino | Italy | 2021-02-21 16:00:00 | Wet snow | 3 | 1 | null | null | null | ||
| 2112 | M. Fregasoga | Italy | 2021-02-22 12:30:00 | Wet snow | Wet snow | 2 | 1 | 3 | null | null | |
| 2120 | Kistrand rv80 | Norway | 2021-02-25 09:20:00 | Wet snow | Persistent weak layer | 4 | 1 | 1 | "Slushflow" | "One man in a plower truck was hit by a slushflow when he was out checking the avalanche danger." | |
| 2127 | Davos | Switzerland | 2021-03-17 12:00:00 | 3 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2121 | Flassin | Italy | 2021-03-17 15:07:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Gliding snow | 4 | 1 | 4 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2122 | Aime-La-Plagne (73 210) | France | 2021-03-19 10:30:00 | Persistent weak layer | New snow | 3 | 1 | 3 | null | null | Backcountry skiing |
| 2128 | Hérémence | Switzerland | 2021-03-20 12:00:00 | 3 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2129 | Ayent | Switzerland | 2021-03-21 12:00:00 | 3 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2130 | Mont-Noble | Switzerland | 2021-03-21 12:00:00 | 3 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2124 | Passo della Manina | Italy | 2021-03-22 14:00:00 | Wind-drifted snow | Wind-drifted snow | 2 | 1 | 3 | null | null | Off-piste skiing |
| 2131 | Anniviers | Switzerland | 2021-03-23 12:00:00 | 3 | 1 | null | null | null | |||
| 2132 | Andermatt | Switzerland | 2021-03-23 12:00:00 | 3 | 2 | null | null | null | |||
| 2125 | Bozel - Dou de Moûtiers | France | 2021-03-24 15:00:00 | Persistent weak layer | Wet snow | 3 | 1 | 2 | "hard slab avalanche" | "victim buried under 1m of snow." | Backcountry skiing |